Dishwasher



Jan. 14, 1964 PERL 3,117,582

DISHWASHER Filed June 28, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. FIG. I RICHARD L. PERL (252%, WW {PM ATTORNEYS R. L. PERL DISHWASHER Jan. 14, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 28, 1962 FIG.2

p lllL Jill I IIIIIII l..l.|l||.l| IlllllllllllllllllllTl INVENTOR. RICHARD L. PERL ATTORNEYS R. L. PERL DISHWASHER Jan. 14, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 28, 1962 INVENTOR. RICHARD L. PERL R. L- PERL DISHWASHER Jan. 14, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 28, 1962 FIG. 8 57 FIG.

FIG. 9

FIG 1| III ' ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice hlllfi di Patented Jan. 14, 1954 Ohio Filed June 28, 1962, Ser. No. 206,073 1 Claim. (Cl. 134-94) This invention relates to dishwashers and more particularly to dishwashers of the front loading, automatic type wherein ware to be washed is subjected to a series of prewashing, washing, rinsing and drying operations according to a predetermined cycle. The invention more specifically relates to dishwashers of the type having a rotary impeller which functions to distribute water to the washing chamber in which the ware is supported, the water thereafter being automatically drained therefrom.

A primary object of the invention is to provide an improved air circulation system for automatic dishwashers of the type described, the system achieving a faster drying of the ware positioned in the dishwasher.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide such an improved air circulation system wherein relatively dry room air is induced to flow into the interior of the dishwasher into contact with and distribution by the interior of the rotary impeller.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved air circulation system of the type described wherein leakage of water or washing solution outwardly of the washing chamber through non-sealed areas is prevented by the novel manner in which air flow is induced into said chamber by said air circulation system.

A further object is to provide a front loading dishwasher in which relatively heavy sudsing action can be provided without drastically encumbering the design of the unit and particulany the size and configuration of the main compartment to accommodate the suds formation without leakage.

An additional object of the invention is to provide such a machine in which a novel suds barrier is employed for the purpose immediately stated above, with this barrier cooperating in a particular improved manner to form a seal with the door structure to prevent escape of suds from the machine at the bottom portion of the door.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claim, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principle of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational View, partly in section, of a dishwasher embodying the invention, the ware retaining structure being deleted for purposes of clarity;

FIG. 2 is a front view, partly broken away, of the dishwasher shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional View taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a plan view, partly broken away and partly in section, of the dishwasher of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is an exploded, enlarged, perspective view of the bafile member and baffle retaining member which form part of the air circulation system of the invention;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged vertical cross sectional view showing the relationship of the dishwasher door and certain components of the air circulation system, the door being shown in closed position;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing the dishwasher door in open position;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, fragmentary view, partly in section, showing the manner in which air enters the dishwasher through a side opening therein;

FIG. 10 is an exploded, enlarged, front view showing the ballle member and retainer therefor in disassembled condition; and

FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of the baflle member.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the dishwasher illustrated comprises a cabinet 10 within which a tub or chest 11 forming a washing chamber is suitably supported, the cabinet and tub both being open at the front and adapted to be closed by a bottom hinged door 13 which is pivotally mounted at the front of the cabinet for vertical movement between a vertical closed position and a horizontal open position for access to the interior of the tub 11. The door 13 is provided with a hand grip portion 14 near the top thereof for open ng and closing of the door through latch member 15, in the usual manner. Resilient seal strips 16 are provided at the sides and bottom of the door for sealing the latter when closed.

A rack 17 for table ware, examples of the latter being shown in dashed outline in-FIG. 2, is disposed in the tub and is provided with guide rails 18 for rolling engagement with supporting rolls 19 mounted on the sides of the tub near the bottom whereby the rack 17 may be rolled out from the tub on the door 13 when the latter is moved to a horizontal position. The rack is additionally provided with outer corner wheels (not shown) for rolling the rack 17 on the inner surface of the open door. When the rack 17 is rolled outwardly, it of course is in position for convenient loading and unloading.

The tub 11 includes a sloped bottom wall 20 which is provided in the lowest region thereof with a drain outlet 23 laterally offset from the center of the bottom, as viewed in FIG. 2, the water draining from the tub 11 through the outlet 23.

The tub bottom 2% communicates through drain outlet 23 to a sump 24 which in turn is connected to the intake of an electric motor driven pump 25 through hose 26. The pump 25 functions in the usual manner to withdraw and discharge water or solution from the tub 11, a second hose 27 (FIG. 1) being connected to the pump outlet to carry the water to a suitable discharge point. A water line 28 having an automatically controlled water fill valve (not shown) interposed therein is provided at the rear of the tub and communicates with the interior thereof through pipe 230, spaced therefrom in accordance with sanitation requirements, for supplying water to the interior of the tub. It will be understood that the washer will be provided with the usual controls (not shown) for automatic operation of the washing cycle. These controls which from no part of the instant invention, operate to automatically regulate the washing and rinsing periods, the quantity of water added during such periods, the level of the water in the tub, and the addition of soap or detergent at the proper time and in the proper amounts.

Spaced slightly above the tub bottom wall 29 is a smooth roll impeller or water slinger 29 which extends rrom closely adjacent the front of the tub to closely ad aQ/ent the rear thereof and rotates about an axis which is in a central, vertical plane, as can be seen in FIG. 2. The impeller 29 is driven by an electric motor 30 and is mounted on the motor shaft 31 for rotation therewith. The roll impeller 25 comprises an elongate-d cylinder having open ends and a plurality, there being four in the tform shown, of radial web members 32 which are centrally disposed in the cylinder and interconnect the cylinder wall with concentric hub 33. These web members project forwardly from an inte ral transverse partition 34 which eff ctively divides the cylinder longitudinally into a forward chamber 35 and a rear motor-containing chamber 36. The hub 33 is connected to the shaft 31 through insert 37 and set screws 38 threadedly extending through hub 33 and the insert 37. The insert 37 is preferably knurled along a portion of its outer surface to enhance the rotatable connection between the insert and the hub 33.

A motor housing member 39 encloses the motor 3%, the housing 39 being provided adjacent the opposite end thereof with an outwardly extending annular flange 42 which secures the motor housing 3? to the cabinet rear wall by conventional nut and bolt means 4-3. The motor is provided with mounting means 44 at the outer end thereof for support on the cabinet rear wall. The motor 33 is preferably reversible whereby the impeller can be rotated in either direction. The motor 3% is also connected to an air intake boot (not shown) which provides a cooling air flow for the motor.

An electric heating element 4-5 of preferably U-shape is mounted adjacent the bottom of the impeller and extends around the sides and front thereof, as can best be seen in FIG. 5. The heating element 45 is connected to the cabinet rear wall by securing means 46, it being understood that a suitable current source is supplied to the heating element to heat the water or solution adjacent said element.

It will thus be seen that in the invention thus far described water supplied to the tub 11 through line 23 will be impelled upwardly by the roll impeller 29 into the upper part of the washing chamber into contact with the ware positioned therein. Cleansing of the ware is accomplished in the usual manner through several wash and rinse cycles as previously mentioned.

Referring now to the novel air circulation system of the invention, air is admitted to tire cabinet through openings as, MG. 9, at the sides thereof, such openings being located immediately below the bottom sealing strip 16 and above baffle retaining members 47, attached by fasteners 48 to the cabinet side walls at the front thereof, as can be seen in $65. 3, 4 and 6. The air flows convergingly toward the ertical central axis of the machine along a path partially defined by baille member 4? which extends between the retainers 47 and is supported thereby in a manner to be more specifically described hereinbelow.

The bafile 49 is provided with a pair of central openings 50 through which the air flows into chamber 35 of the impeller 29. As can be seen by the air flow pattern shown by arrows in PEG. 1 and KG. 5, the air entering the front impeller chamber 35 through openings 56 flows alorx the approximate axial center of the chamber, and then outwardly from chamber 35 along the surface of the inner wall of the impeller cylinder, such flow of course resulting from the differential air pressure in various regions of the chamber 35 during rotation of the impeller. The air flowing outwardly from the chamber 35 at the periphery thereof flows in the direction indi cated by the arrows in FIG. 1 outwardly of the cabinet through an elongated opening 51 at the top thereof between the front of the cabinet and the door, there being no seal provided in such area. It will thus be seen that dry, ambient air is brought into the cabinet under the inducement of the rotating impeller, circulates through the tub contacting the ware positioned therein, and flows outwardly from the tub through opening 51 at the front top of the cabinet. The use of relatively rapid fiow, dry, ambient air greatly reduces the time heretofore required for drying the ware.

The specific construction of the retainers 47 can best be seen in FIG. 6, the retainer shown therein being mounted at the left front of the cabinet. The retainer 47 mounted on the right front of the cabinet is complemental to the retainer shown in FIG. 6 whereby the description thereof will be sufiicient for both. The retainer 47 is provided with countersunk openings 53 and 54- which are adapted to receive screws 48 aforementioned to firmly mount the retainer on the front of the cabinet. The retainer 4-7 comprises a forwardly extending tongue portion 55 which extends forwardly below the bottom of the door '13 so as not to interfere with the opening and closing of the door 13, the bottom of the tongue portion 55 being shaped to complement the inclined portion 56 of the lower front trim member 57 forming part of the cabinet ('FIG. 7). The retainer further comprises an embossed bafile support portion 58 which extends inwardly and is adapted to receive and support the adjacent end of the batlle 49. The battle and retainer being shown in assemled relationship in FIGS. 7-9. A guide flange 59 par-al lel to and spaced from the embossed portion 58 serves to further support and position the baffle 49 on the retainer 47. It should be noted that the portion of the retainer 47 immediately underlying the bottom of the seal 16 mounted at the side and front of the cabinet is inclined downwardly and inwardly so as to create an area of relatively high pressure which prevents the flowing of water or suds outwardly from the tub through bafiie openings '50 and openings 46.

The retainer 47 is preferably made of a plastic possessing the required qualities of being odor free, non-staining, capable of being subjected to temperatures up to 200 1- and with little or no Water absorption or swelling. Polypropylene has proved very satisfactory in these respects.

The elongated bafiie 49 is of generally channel shape at the top thereof, comprising horizontal and downwardly depending flanges 64 and 65, respectively, which, combined with the main, vertically extending body portion 61, form an inverted U of sufficient dimension toenable the battle to be positioned on the embossed portion 58 and frictionally held thereon. The lower portion of the baflie 49 comprises an outwardly and downwardly extending flange 62 the forwardmost part of which, refeming to FIG. 7, contacts the inside surface of the cabinet trim member 57. Additional shielding over the major length of the region adjacent the door hinge is provided by a strip 63 attached to the inside of the door and projecting below the seal 16 to engage against the inside of the cabinet when the door is closed.

There is also shown in FIG. 7 a dashed line W which indicates the normal water level within the machine, at the particular transverse plane of the figure, and it will be evident that this line is below the hinge line of the door, i.e., occurring in a lower relatively depressed bottom area of the unit which is water tight by virtue of being bounded by the wall sections defining the main compartment below the hinge line. The baffle 49, which may also be referred to as a suds barrier, projects upwardly an appreciable distance across the bottom front of the tub or compartment from below the hinge, and direct opposed contact between the bottom door seal '16 and the forward downturned flange 65 of the bafile is provided above the hinge line. The dashed line S in FIG. 7 indicates the height to which suds can accumulate in the bottom of the tub in the operation of the machine by virtue of the described construction, and it will be apparent that this line is considerably elevated for accommodation of a suds collar on the order of several inches.

The bafile or suds barrier 49 therefore bridges the area of the door hinge, with positive contact sealing extending along the sides of the door when. closed and across the bottom at the increased elevation determined by the bafile top edge portion. The earlier described inflow of air at the bottom corners of the closed door in operation of the machine precludes escape of suds in the wet stages of the machine operating cycle, with this function being in addition to the supply of external air for enhanced drying and cooling in the dry cycle stages.

As a result of the action of the suds barrier or bafiie, it is not required that the tub be made Water-tight, i.e., by increased wall and bottom depression below the hinge line, to the full height of the expected suds, whereby the high sudsing action is accommodated Without requiring a substantially and perhaps impractically enlarged bottom design. Moreover, the co-action of the bottom door seal and the barrier is in the nature of direct opposition and thus more efficient than a sliding type of seal. It is also significant that the opposed surfaces of the door and the barrier which cooperably define the passages for the inflow of ambient air are separated upon opening of the door. That is, the several surfaces which together define the passages in the closed condition of the door to direct the air inwardly are fully exposed with opening of the door and accordingly readily accessible for cleaning and the like. While other inlets through the assembly could possibly be provided, the usual approach would be to utilize an interior passage which would be closed in all conditions and susceptible to trapping of particles removable by cleaning only with some difliculty.

A dishwasher in accordance with the present improvements is therefore operable with induced circulation of ambient air in a particular manner and with appreciable benefits in both the washing and drying portions of the operating cycle. The flow, of course, is essentially the same in both cases, with an obvious assist to drying after completion of the Washing and a sealing function served thereby during washing to the extent that the high sudsing action discussed can be tolerated. These advantages are realized without added complication of the construction, significant increase in the cost of manufacture, or added problems of maintenance.

Other modes of applying the principle of the invention may be employed, chmge being made as regards the details described, provided the features stated in the following claim or the equivalent of such be employed.

1, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

A dishwasher comprising a tub forming a washing chamber, a bottom hinged front door, rotatable Water impeller means in said tub, means to rotate said impeller means, said impeller means having an open end portion whereby rotation thereof induces air flow generally axially into said open end of said impeller means and then outwardly thereof along the walls of the same into the washing chamber, baflle means of general channel shapeextending across the bottom front portion of the tub and transversely with respect to the impeller means adjacent the open end of the latter, retaining means having baflle support portions secured to the tub at the ends of the baflle means for removable mounting of said bafiie means, the bafiie means having an opening near the center of the same in register with the open end of the impeller means, resilient sealing means disposed along the sides and bottom of said door, with the portion of the sealing means at the bottom cooperable with said retaining means forming inlet openings at the sides of the tub for flow of relatively dry and cool ambient air from outside of the dishwasher along the bafiie means to the opening thereof and through the latter to the interior of the rotating impeller means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,105,561 Hershey July 28, 1914 1,511,825 Burns Oct. 14, 1924 1,711,221 Blakeslee Apr. 30, 1929 2,624,356 Rumbaugh Ian. 6, 1953 2,760,502 Rumbaugh Aug. 28, 1956 2,871,082 Kalig et al Jan. 27, 1959 2,929,565 Gibson Mar. 22, 1960 

